Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Who Is Steven Spielberg?
Steven Allan Spielberg is an American filmmaker, television director and producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Spielberg is considered one of the most accomplished film directors in history.
Although he kicked off his filmmaking career in the early 60s, it was not until the mid-70s that Spielberg became a household name in Hollywood. The legendary filmmaker rose to international fame after directing the 1975 blockbuster Jaws. He gained wider recognition after directing subsequent box office hits over the next decade, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and various films in the Indiana Jones film series.
Spielberg is also noted for directing The Color Purple (1985) and Empire of the Sun (1987). He then took a brief hiatus and returned to filmmaking in 1993 by directing the films Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List.
Steven Spielberg continued earning critical acclaim for directing a number of Hollywood blockbusters, including Saving Private Ryan (1998), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Minority Report (2002), and War of the Worlds (2005). More recently, Spielberg is most noted for directing The Adventures of Tintin (2011), War Horse (2011), Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015), The BFG (2016), The Post (2017), and Ready Player One (2018).
Besides film directing, Steven Spielberg has also produced numerous films and television shows. He undertakes many of his production gigs through Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures, both of which he co-founded. Spielberg has also appeared in several films and television shows over the years.
Quick Facts
| Full Name: | Steven Allan Spielberg |
| Popular Name: | Steven Spielberg |
| Gender: | Male |
| Birth Date: | December 18, 1946 |
| Age: | 76 years |
| Parents: | Arnold Spielberg and Leah Posner |
| Siblings: | Anne Spielberg, Nancy Spielberg, and Sue Spielberg |
| Birth Place: | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | Jewish |
| Education: | Arcadia High School, Saratoga High School, and California State University – Long Beach |
| Marital Status: | Married to actress Kate Capshaw (since 1991); previously married to actress Amy Irving (from 1985 until their divorce in 1989) |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Wife/Spouse: | Kate Capshaw |
| Children: | Max Spielberg (from his marriage to Amy Irving), Jessica Brooke Capshaw (from Kate Capshaw’s previous relationship), Sasha Rebecca Spielberg, Sawyer Avery Spielberg, and Destry Allyn Spielberg (from his marriage to Kate Capshaw), and Theo Spielberg and Mikaela George Spielberg (adopted) |
| Dating: | N/A |
| Net Worth: | USD 7.5 billion |
| Source of Wealth: | Film Directing, Film Producing, Screenwriting, Television Directing, Television Producing, Acting, and Entrepreneurial Ventures |
| Height: | 5′ 7″ (1.7 m) |
| Weight: | 75 kg; In pounds: 165 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Steven Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Arnold Spielberg and Leah Posner. His father was an electrical engineer, whereas his mother was a restaurateur and concert pianist.
Spielberg made his first home movie at the age of 12. At the age of 13, he made a 40-minute war film titled Escape to Nowhere, which starred some of his school classmates.
In 1963, Steven Spielberg wrote and directed his first independent film, a science fiction adventure titled Firelight. In 1969, he landed his first professional job as a director for the pilot episode of Night Gallery. He went on to direct a number of television films in the early 70s, including Duel (1971), Something Evil (1972), and Savage (1973).
Spielberg’s breakthrough came in 1975 after he directed the horror-thriller Jaws. The film was both a commercial and critical success. It grossed over $470 million worldwide and won three Academy Awards in various categories.
Banking on the success of his first major film project, Steven Spielberg went on to direct several other films over the next decade. They include Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), 1941 (1979), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Other films that Spielberg directed in the 80s include Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), The Color Purple (1985), Empire of the Sun (1987), Always (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
After directing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Steven Spielberg took a two-year hiatus. He later returned to filmmaking in 1991 by directing Hook. In 1993, Spielberg directed to Hollywood blockbusters Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List.
The following are other notable films that Steven Spielberg has directed over the years:
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• Catch Me If You Can (2002)
• The Terminal (2004)
• War of the Worlds (2005)
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
• The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
• Lincoln (2012)
• Bridge of Spies (2015)
• The Post (2017)
• Ready Player One (2018)
• West Side Story (2021)
Besides film directing, Seven Spielberg has also produced numerous movies over the years. He began his producing career in the 1985 film Back to the Future.
In 1990, Spielberg became the executive producer of the series Tiny Toon Adventures. Three years later, he landed another producing role in the series seaQuest DSV. Spielberg was also the executive producer of the 1997 film Men in Black and its 2002 sequel Men in Black II.
Other major films and television series that Spielberg has produced include:
• Taken (2002, television series)
• Memoirs of a Geisha (2005, film)
• Monster House (2006, film)
• Disturbia (2007, film)
• Falling Skies (2011, television series)
• Smash (2012, television series)
• The Whispers (2015, television series)
• Under the Dome (2015, television series)
Awards and Recognition
Steven Spielberg has won 67 awards over the course of his filmmaking career. That includes 34 Academy Awards, 22 BAFTA Awards, and 11 Golden Globe Awards.
Steven Spielberg’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Steven Spielberg had a net worth of $7.5 billion. Spielberg is considered the second-richest person in the entertainment industry, behind fellow filmmaker George Lucas who has a net worth of $10 billion.
As you may have gathered by now, Spielberg’s billion-dollar empire is courtesy of his decorated filmmaking career. Some of Steven Spielberg’s most commercially successful movies include:
• Jaws (1975) – Grossed over $470 million worldwide
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Grossed over $1 billion ($700 million in box office sales and $300 million in merchandise sales)
• Jurassic Park (1993) – Grossed over $912 million worldwide
• War of the Worlds (2005) – Grossed over $600 million worldwide
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) – Grossed over $790 million worldwide
In terms of individual earnings, the Jurassic Park film series remains Spielberg’s highest income-earner. Spielberg earned $250 million in salary and backend points from the first instalment of Jurassic Park. He subsequently earned $150 million and $75 million from the movie’s second and third installments, respectively.
Lessons from Steven Spielberg
1. Seek meaningful partnerships
Steven Spielberg is known for his long-time collaboration with composer John Williams, production designer Rick Carter, and filmmaker George Lucas, to mention but a few.
2. Be a smart negotiator
Spielberg is known to accept relatively low upfront movie salaries in exchange for huge backend points. This approach has seen him earn as much as ten times what he would have made if he focused on base salaries. A case in point is the 1993 Jurassic Park, where he earned a whopping $250 million.
3. It’s not always about the money
Steven Spielberg has repeatedly claimed that money isn’t his biggest motivator. He once said, ‘I’m not really interested in making money.’ Spielberg is also noted for declining a salary for Schindler’s List, arguing that any money earned from the movie was blood money.
Famous Quotes by Steven Spielberg
“All of us every single year, we’re a different person. I don’t think we’re the same person all our lives.”
“Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.”
“I don’t think any movie or any book or any work of art can solve the stalemate in the Middle East today. But it’s certainly worth a try.”
“The public has an appetite for anything about imagination – anything that is as far away from reality as is creatively possible.”
“When war comes, two things happen – profits go way, way up and all perishables go way, way down. There becomes a market for them.”
Conclusion
Steven Spielberg is an American filmmaker and television producer who has enjoyed a career spanning more than six decades. Spielberg has directed and produced scores of acclaimed movies and television shows over the years, starting from 1975’s Jaws. He has a net worth of $7.5 billion, which is enough to make him the second-wealthiest celebrity in the world after George Lucas.
